The Mission Briefing 2011: A Mission Briefing Gone Awry
by Papa Bear Awards
Summary: Yay! It's time for the Papa Bear Awards again! But the guys' excitement quickly turns to dread when the worst person possible happens to be in the area, and accidentally picks up their mission briefing and the crate with the stories...
1. A mission briefing gone awry

"Boy, I'm so excited!" Carter's eyes beamed in his soot black face. "How many stories did London again say we'd get?"

"Two hundred and six," Kinch whispered back. "And keep your voice down, will you? We don't want to alert the Krauts!"

"Sorry. But two hundred and six! London'd better not give us any missions these weeks, or we'll never get through them."

"Ssh! Quiet now!" Hogan hissed up front. He squatted down behind an evergreen bush, and his four men followed his example.

"How long till the plane gets here?" Newkirk whispered.

Hogan glanced at his watch. "A few minutes. LeBeau, you got the flashlight ready?"

"Oui, Colonel."

"Good. Then everybody quiet now. Especially you, Carter!"

"Aye, sir."

They crouched down behind the bushes, eagerly looking up at the sky. The night was dark; the moon wouldn't go up until later. A little animal rustled the dead leaves as it scurried past, and a cold, soft drizzle began to fall.

"Hurry up, you stupid plane. I'm freezing," Newkirk muttered.

"I believe I hear something."

They all pricked their ears at Kinch's quiet announcement. And yes, there it was: the unmistakable soft rumbling sound of an approaching Allied plane.

"LeBeau?"

"Ready, Colonel."

Hogan peered up at the nightsky through his binoculars. "Here it comes. LeBeau?"

Three short flashes of light beamed up at the black sky.

"Yep. Package thrown out," Hogan reported.

Soon they could all distinguish the black parachute floating down against the dark of night.

"It's going to come down right over there," Carter pointed.

"Yes. But you know procedures: we wait till it's hit the ground. No use giving ourselves away when we can't even reach the package yet," Hogan warned.

Nobody replied to that – they were all well aware that the woods bordering this little patch of heath could be crawling with Kraut patrols at any time.

And it was a good thing that they stayed put, for suddenly, a powerful light beam from the woods beyond captured the parachute and its precious load.

"Jürgens! Köhler!" a command sounded. In a nasty, all too familiar voice...

Hogan and his men didn't move a muscle – they barely dared to take a breath as they lay there behind their bush. But their thoughts were running rampant.

Hochstetter? _Hochstetter_ who got hold of the stories for the Papa Bear Awards? Oh my... Not only would that mean the uncovering of their entire organization and the death of a lot of their allies, but it would most likely leave the hated major in a terrible mood as well. If the authors had been ridiculing him as badly as last year, with infamous stories along the lines of _The Many Deaths of Wolfgang Hochstetter_...

"Na, what do we have here?" they heard Hochstetter demand. "A large package. A _heavy_ package thrown out of an Allied plane. No doubt it contains knick-knacks to aid that horrible Hogan in his pointless little crusade against our glorious Third Reich." A pause in which they heard cords snap, and the breaking of wood. "Aha! Some kind of secret files! Jürgens, Köhler, search the area. They must be around here somewhere to pick up this package. And I will finally, _finally_ have my proof!"

"Better get out of here," Hogan breathed. And stealthily, quiet but fast, the five black shadows got up and disappeared into the night without a sound.

* * *

Back in his office at Gestapo headquarters in Hamelburg, Major Hochstetter dumped the crate filled with documents on his desk. He smiled – a cold-hearted, satisfied little smile. "This will be the end of your annoying capers, Colonel Hogan. Just let me get a cup of coffee to celebrate your inevitable downfall!"

He put away his overcoat, got a cup of Ersatz coffee from the canteen, and sat himself behind his desk. "Well now, let's see what we have here." He took the top paper from the pile, and read:

**TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET**

And sniggered. Top secret alright, oh yeah. And then another line got his attention: **PAPA BEAR AWARDS**.

Papa Bear! These top secret documents were intended for the infamous Papa Bear! And here he was, Wolfgang Hochstetter, having confiscated the entire pile before that monster could lay his hands on them! If _this _wasn't going to hand him Hogan's head on a plate, nothing ever would!

So he quickly read on:


	2. Top Secret!

**TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET**

**

* * *

THE PAPA BEAR AWARDS 2011**

**Now accepting nominations for the stories completed in 2010!**

You can find a list of all eligible stories on the PBA site – see the link in our profile.

The stories have already been assigned to their most appropriate story category.

**

* * *

The rules:**

Everyone is entitled to max. 2 nominations in every story category (e.g. drama, comedy, general, based on episode, based on challenge, unique, poetry, slash, crossover and supernatural).

But there is a major change this year: all stories have already been assigned to their most appropriate story category - most of them by the author, some by the PBA staff. **And you can only nominate a story in the story category where it has been assigned! **

So make sure you check the PBA homepage (follow the link in our profile) to see in which categories your favourites are eligible!

* * *

_**Question:** My favourite story has been assigned to drama, but I would like to nominate it in the unique category. Can I do that?_

_**Answer:** No, you can´t. If it´s been assigned to the drama category, you can only nominate it in the drama category. _

* * *

You may nominate a story only once in the story categories . So in case story A is listed as eligible in (for example) comedy and unique, you´ll have to take your pick where you think it would do best. You cannot nominate the story in both categories.

You are free to skip nominating in categories you're not interested in.

Please note that the category "best overall story" is not open for direct nominations this year. Instead, this category will be added in the voting round, and will consist of those stories (around 7-10) that received overall the most nominations in the categories drama, comedy, general, based on challenge, based on episode, unique and poetry. So nominating your favourite story in (for example) drama is also a step towards its nomination for best overall story.

* * *

Then there are the character categories: best portrayal of a canon character, of a canon extra/regular, and of an original character. You may nominate max 2 in each of these categories.

The best teaser: you may nominate max 2 teasers.

The best quote: this is the only category where you may nominate 3!  
But there are strict rules to go by:  
1) keep it short (in dialogue max statement - reply - reaction; in descriptive text max 3 lines)  
2) it must make sense even outside its context.

Failing these two basic rules, the nomination will be refused. If there is still time, the nominator may send in another quote instead.

No nominations of your own work in any category! Once your work has been nominated by someone else, you will be allowed to vote for it in the second round. But _nominating_ your own work is VERBOTEN.

_**

* * *

Question:**__ if I nominate my favourite story in (for example) the comedy section, can I still nominate characters, quotes and teasers from that story?_

_**Answer:**__ Yes, you can. The restriction of one nomination per story applies __only__ to the story categories (e.g. drama, comedy, general, challenge, episode, unique, poetry, supernatural, slash and crossover). If you like, you could even nominate the teaser and all your quotes and characters from one single story. However, with no less than 206 stories to choose from... _:-)

* * *

Nominations have to be signed with your real name, your email address and – if you have one – your ffnet pen name. The honour system applies! You will receive a confirmation when your nominations have been registered.

Nominations have to be in no later than **Friday, February 25th, 2011**, and the only way to send them in is by email to papabearawards at yahoo dot com. (As an exception, you guys may send them in over the radio.)

The list of nominees in each category will be published in the days following, and from there on, people will have six weeks to cast their vote: 1 vote in each category. In that round, authors will be allowed to vote for their own work – once someone else has nominated it. This will be explained in more detail when the time has come.

And seeing that there are so many stories this year, a little reading guide. If you don't have the time to read _all_ the stories before the deadline, just pick out the stories you remember that made a real impression on you, and that in your opinion deserve to go on to the final round. Of course it's laudable to try and read all the stories before making your choice, but with the numbers we have this year, it's hardly realistic. Unless of course you already read them all as soon as they were published. :-)

And remember: the purpose of the Papa Bear Awards is to seek out and honour **quality writing**. It's not a social contest to see who has the most friends.

A complete overview of the stories and the categories they've been assigned to can be found on the PBA homepage (follow the link in our profile). They are listed there by category, by word count, and in alphabetical order, with a direct link to each and every one of them.

Note: if you know of any stories missing (perhaps outside ffnet?), please contact us as soon as possible to correct the matter!

* * *

A little overview of this year's categories:

**Best drama (short, medium, long)****  
**The story with the strongest, most compelling dramatic impact!

**Best comedy (short, long)****  
**Simply the funniest story!

**Best g****eneral story (short, long)  
**The best story that has both drama and comedy, or neither!

**Best story based on an actual episode of the series**

**Best story based on a challenge**

**Most u****nique story**  
A story with a unique plot twist, unusual writing style, or one that is simply just strange and… well… unique!

**Best poem****, song or songfic**

**Best supernatural, SF or fantasy story**

**Best crossover story****  
**The best story in which the Heroes work together with people from other fandoms.

**Best slash story**

**Best portrayal of a canon character**  
Who portrays the main Hogan's Heroes characters best?  
This is where you nominate the best portrayal of  
Hogan, Klink, Schultz, LeBeau, Newkirk, Kinch, Carter, Burkhalter and Hochstetter.

**Best portrayal of a canon extra****  
**Best character performance from any other regular or guest character who originates from the original TV-show,  
ranging from semi main cast member Baker to the merely mentioned Nimrod,  
from Frau Linkmeyer to Freddy,  
and from the sergeant of the motorpool to the guy on the back bunk in barracks 2.

**Best o****riginal character  
**Best original (new) character created for a story that you would have enjoyed seeing in the actual show.

**Best t****easer  
**The most tickling teaser or summary that makes you want to read the story right away!

**The best quote****  
**The most interesting (funniest or moving or silly or so very true or...) line or lines you've come across this year.  
But: – keep it short (in dialogue max statement - reply - reaction; in descriptive text max three lines)  
– and make sure it makes sense even outside its context.

* * *

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us. We do check the review page of this story regularly, and you can also reach us by email (papabearawards at yahoo dot com) or ffnet-PM (see our PBA profile).

.

_**Enjoy your reading!**_

Best regards,

Your Chief Librarian,

Konarciq (Margherita)

.

**TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET**


	3. FAQ

**FAQ**

**.  
**

**Q: What is the purpose of the Papa Bear Awards?**

**A:** The purpose of the Papa Bear Awards is to seek out and give recognition to quality writing, and to acquaint fellow authors and readers with the best work in the fandom of Hogan's Heroes.

**

* * *

Q: How does the PBA work?**

**A:** First the authors and readers of Hogan's Heroes fanfiction nominate the works completed during 2010 that they consider to be of outstanding quality. All the nominated work goes to the voting round, in which both authors and readers decide which works are really the very, very best of this past year.

**

* * *

****Q: My favourite story has been assigned to drama, but I would like to nominate it in the unique category. Can I do that?**

**A:** No, you can´t. If it´s been assigned to the drama category, you can only nominate it in the drama category.

* * *

**Q: How do I know which stories are eligible in what category?**

**A: **You can find the complete listings - sorted by category, by word count and in alphabetical order - on the PBA homepage. Just follow the homepage-link in our profile.

**

* * *

Q:**** If I nominate my favourite story in (for example) the comedy section, can I still nominate characters, quotes and teasers from that story?**

**A****:** Yes, you can. The restriction of one nomination per story applies only to the story categories (e.g. drama, comedy, general, challenge, episode, unique, poetry, supernatural, slash and crossover). If you like, you could even nominate the teaser and all your quotes and characters from one single story. However, with no less than 206 stories to choose from... :-)

**

* * *

Q: I have a story participating in the PBA this year. Is it okay for me to participate in the nominating and voting?**

**A:** Yes, you are very welcome to participate in the nominating and voting. In fact, most people participating have eligible stories out there. Just make sure you don't nominate your own work!

**

* * *

Q: How do I nominate my favourite story? **

**A:** You check the PBA homepage (follow the link in our profile) to see to which categories your favourite stories have been assigned. Once you've made your decision, you can send an email to papabearawards at yahoo dot com. If you want to be sure you include all the necessary information, you can use the template from the next chapter.

**

* * *

Q: Do I have to read all the stories before I decide on my nominations?**

**A: **No, you don't. Of course it's laudable to try and read all the stories before making your choice, but with the numbers we have this year, it's hardly realistic. In the nomination round, it's perfectly okay to choose your nominations from among the stories you have read – whether they amount to 26 or to 206.

**

* * *

Q: How many nominations are needed to go to the voting round?**

**A:** One nomination is sufficient for a story, character, teaser or quote to go to the voting round.

**

* * *

Q: I don't have an ffnet account, but I enjoy reading Hogan's**** Heroes fanfiction. Can I participate in the nominating and voting of the PBA?**

**A:** Yes, you can.

**

* * *

Q: Why can't crossovers, supernatural and slash stories qualify for "best overall story"?**

**A:** The "best overall story" should be accessible and comprehensible for everyone who enjoys Hogan's Heroes – period. We know (and their authors know) by experience that these three genres have a limited audience.  
To understand a crossover, you have to be acquainted with another TV-show, movie, book etc. in order to even begin to comprehend the story.  
As for supernatural and slash stories, these are elements totally alien to the original TV show of Hogan's Heroes. And though we do appreciate them enough to grant them their own PBA category, they have the additional problem that for a variety of reasons, a considerable number of readers refuse to read one or both of these genres.  
Therefore, we do not consider stories from these three genres suitable to perhaps end up being "the best Hogan's Heroes story that every HHfan should read", no matter how good they are.  
As a side note: in none of the past three editions of the PBA have stories from these genres made it to the "best overall" category by direct nomination either.

**

* * *

Q: What happened to the non-English category?**

**A:** There are indeed two non-English stories eligible this year. However, the only thing they have in common is that they're Hogan's Heroes stories, and that they're not written in English. With regret, we have decided that German poetry and French slash are simply too different to have in a category all by themselves. So they have been assigned to poems, resp. slash, and we hope that those people who enjoy those genres and are able to read them will seriously consider whether or not their quality deserves nomination. Nomination alone would be an ultimate honour, especially for these two!

**

* * *

Q: I don't want to read slash/supernatural/crossovers (etc). Do I have to nominate in that category?**

**A:** No, you don't have to nominate in every category. You can limit yourself to the categories you're interested in.

**

* * *

Q: I don't know whether character X was originally a guest character, or whether the author just made him up. Where do I nominate him?**

**A:** To be on the safe side, you can ask the author, alternatively the PBA staff.

**

* * *

Q: I'm missing a few stories that have been completed this year. Why aren't they eligible?**

**A:** Three possible reasons.  
1) The story has been newly edited and reposted, but has already participated in a previous edition of the PBA.  
2) The author has decided to withdraw this particular story from participation in the PBA.  
3) If the story has only been published outside ffnet, we may simply have missed it. If that is the case, please let us know ASAP!

**

* * *

Q: Can I nominate quotes from my own stories, like last year?**

**A:** No, you can't. That option has been dropped this year. No nominations of your own work are allowed in any category.

**

* * *

Q: Where do I find good quotes without reading every story?**

**A:** An option is to browse through the reviews. Many reviewers mention a particularly good quote from a chapter in their review.

**

* * *

Q: I would like to help with the PBA organization. Is there anything I can do?**

**A:** For this year, all tasks have been divided. However, if you'd like to help next year, just drop us an email, and we'll notify you once the preparations for next year go underway!

**

* * *

Q: Where do I send my nominations?**

**A:** You can send them by email to papabearawards at yahoo dot com. You will receive a confirmation once your nominations have been registered. If you have any problems, you can send us an ffnet PM.


	4. A template for nominations

Template for nominations

**Real name:**

**ffnet pen name: **

**Email address:**

**

* * *

MY NOMINATIONS:**

**Short drama:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Medium drama:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Long drama:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Short comedy:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Long comedy:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Short general story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Long general story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best story based on a challenge:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

**

**Best story based on a TV episode:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Most unique story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best poem or songfic:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best crossover story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best supernatural story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best slash story:**

Title:

Author:

.

Title:

Author:

**

* * *

Best portrayal of a canon character:**

Character:

Story:

Author:

.

Character:

Story:

Author:

**

* * *

Best portrayal of a canon extra:**

Character:

Story:

Author:

.

Character:

Story:

Author:

**

* * *

Best portrayal of an original character:**

Character:

Story:

Author:

.

Character:

Story:

Author:

**

* * *

Best teaser:**

Teaser:

Story:

Author:

.

Teaser:

Story:

Author:

**

* * *

Best quote:**

_(Remember: max statement - reply - reaction in dialogue; or max 3 lines descriptive text; and it has to make sense outside its context!)_

Quote:

Said by:

Story:

Author:

.

Quote:

Said by:

Story:

Author:

.

Quote:

Said by:

Story:

Author:


	5. Danger looms

The barracks door swung open and slammed into Newkirk and Carter's bunk.

"Hey Schultzie...!" Newkirk started to complain, but Schultz didn't hear him.

"Where are the stories?" He looked around, beaming with eager anticipation – much like a child at Christmas Eve.

"What stories?" LeBeau feigned ignorance and yawned loudly as he swung his short legs out of bed.

"Cockroach, do not play games with me. I saw you guys slip out last night, with my own eyes! All five of you! But since it is the time of year for the Papa Bear Awards again, I wisely decided that I had better see _nothing_. But now...!" He looked under the table, opened a foot locker here and there, lifted up Carter's blanket, Newkirk's blanket... "Where are they? I want to read and nominate and vote, too! I love the Papa Bear Awards!"

"Well, we don't have them." Newkirk scowled and pulled his blanket a little tighter around him.

Schultz gave him a disapproving shake of the head. "Jolly joker. I know they must be here. Where have you hidden them?"

"We haven't hidden them anywhere, Schultz." Carter gave him a sad puppy look. "We don't have them. Really!"

"You are bad boys; you are only teasing me! Has your mother not taught you to share?"

"Sure." Kinch jumped off his bunk. "But when there is nothing to share, then we all get nothing."

"You didn't store them in a place I'm not supposed to know about?"

Kinch raised his eyebrows. "And what place would that be?"

Schultz stomped his foot. "How should I know if I'm not supposed to know about it?" He glared at every one of them in turn. "You are all mocking me! That is not nice! Wait till the Kommandant hears about this!" He threw back his head and bellowed, "Colonel Hogan!"

"Hey, is Colonel Hogan the Kommandant of Stalag 13 now?" Carter's eyes shone at the possibilities this opened up.

But there was Hogan, dressed and all. "Schultz! What's with the yelling so early in the morning?"

"Colonel Hogan, the men won't share the stories with their poor old Sergeant Schultz! Now why would they be so mean? Am I not your best friend in all of Germany?"

Hogan sighed. "Because, Schultz, we didn't get the stories."

Schultz's expression was one big question mark. "Why not? Did they not arrive yet? I thought..."

"Oh, they did come alright. We saw them – from a distance. But someone else got their hands on them first."

"Who?"

"Major Hochstetter."

Schultz's eyes slowly widened as realization set in. "Major... Hochstetter...? Colonel Hogan, you are in trouble! _**I**_ am in trouble! If Major Hochstetter reads about everything that I know nothing about, he will kill you all! And Colonel Klink and I..." He faltered.

"Sent to the Russian front probably," Newkirk completed for him as he peeled his first cigarette of the day out of its pack.

Schultz whimpered and whined. "_Don't_ say that, Newkirk! Please!" He turned back to his senior POW. "Colonel Hogan, what are you going to do?"

* * *

And a little practical note: the story Fitting the Crime (by Tirathon) has by mistake been listed in the comedy section as well as in the challenge section. I will change this on the site ASAP (though IE won´t always let me on my website... irritating), but please note that:

**FITTING THE CRIME** by Tirathon is eligible only in the **challenge** category!


	6. short drama

And here they are, ladies and gentlemen:

All the many works that were considered good enough to be nominated  
in this year´s edition of the Papa Bear Awards!

Nominated works in short drama:

* * *

**Surely Goodness and Mercy **by San Antonio Rose

**Steps in the Dark** by Settiai

**The Hardest Part** by Roxy–Found–A–Pen

**When the Black Dog Comes Calling **by dust on the wind

**A Colonel's Mind **by Marie1964

**Panopticon** by Goldleaf83

**A Hero Falls by the Way **by Bits and Pieces

**The Night the Colonel Died **by ColHogan

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / The Real Story **by Deana

**Lies and Other Tales** by Jennaya

**All Things Must Pass** by whirlyite

**On My Shoulder** by Zevkia

**Confidence Lost, Confidence Found **by Glossina

**Dreams of Reality** by 80sarcades

**Thousand Yard Stare **by whirlyite

**The Man at the Red Lion **by 96Hubbles

**Deliver it to Papa Bear** by dust on the wind

**Too Soon** by Deana

* * *

and onto medium drama!


	7. medium drama

Nominated works in medium drama:

* * *

**The Heavy Burden of Command** by Glossina

**Hourglass** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**God Save the King **by whirlyite

**A Death in the Family** by Snooky-9093

**As We that are Left Grow Old **by dust on the wind

**Dreaming of the Time We Were Free **by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Red and Blue** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Olsen's Secret Life **by Jennaya

**By Moonlight** by dust on the wind

**Prisoners of Honor **by 80sarcades

**Ceremony of Innocence **by Nyala Necheyev

**And Ever After** by Surrounded

**Flowers for the Kommandant **by dust on the wind

**Another Time, Another Place** by dust on the wind

**Cravings** by Nitestalker

**The Right Place at the Right Time **by Deana

**A Side Job** by Simone Lyon

* * *

and onto long drama!


	8. long drama

Nominated works in long drama:

* * *

**Come Home a Hero or Come Not Home at All** by Sierra Sutherwinds

**A Long Journey** by All–things

**Cruel and Unusual Punishment **by Bits and Pieces

**A Dark Night, Long Ago** by Silent Number

**The Things We Fear** by wordybirds

**Side Effects** by Bits and Pieces

**Layers of Reality **by Marie1964 & Sierra Sutherwinds

**Ten Thousand Words without a Sound **by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Rendezvous **by dust on the wind

**Follow Me to Heaven** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Southern Skies, Southern Lies **by Jinzle

**A Sergeant's Guilt **by ColHogan

**A Tale of Two Carters **by Lizzi0307

**On the Rooftops of London **by Monker

**From the Depths of My Soul **by ColHogan

**In the Beginning: Vive le King **by Simone Lyon

* * *

and onto short comedy!


	9. short comedy

Nominated works in short comedy:

* * *

**Frozen Night** by Settiai

**Risky Business** by Bits and Pieces

**A Week in Baden Baden** by dust on the wind

**Newkirk's Dream** by Marie1964

**The Big Ones Don't Bite** by dust on the wind

**All Hail the Fuehrer** by Jennaya

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / Jackpot** by Deana

**Newkirk's Embarrassing Moment** by ColHogan

**Look at All the Pretty Snow** by waikiki23

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / A Banana a Day** by Deana

**The Failures** by Simone Lyon

**Klink's Lousy Birthday** by 80sarcades

**Kleptomaniacs at the Bookstore** by Simone Lyon

**The Waiting Room** by dust on the wind

**A Major Problem** by Limmet

* * *

and onto long comedy!


	10. long comedy

Nominated works in long comedy:

* * *

**Rats!** by blinkblink

**Hey! There's a Hole in My Pocket!** by Metoria

**Remedies** by dust on the wind

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / When it Rains, it Pours** by Deana

**The Good, the Bad and the Parodies / Why Olsen?** by ornitholestes

**The Good, the Bad and the Parodies / The Newkirk Dilemma** by ornitholestes

**Do Not Pass Go: Do Not Collect 200 Dollars** by Snooky-9093

**Swordplay** by dust on the wind

**The 'Odd' Man Out** by Deana

**Peter and the Wolf** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**The Quivering Colonel** by ornitholestes

**Experimenting with the Mary Sue Experiments** by oboe11

**It's a Jungle out there** by dust on the wind

**Satin and Lace** by ColHogan

* * *

and onto short general!


	11. short general story

Nominated works in short general:

* * *

**Final Goodbye** by Pandoras–Closet

**The Waiting Game** by Chopstick Legend

**Explosions Can Be Bad for Your Health** by waikiki23

**An Officer's Duty** by 80sarcades

**Yankee Doodle Hero** by ShakNali

**Men and Mice** by Monker

**You Can Never Escape** by 80sarcades

**The Birthday Surprise** by Marie1964

**Change Doesn't Come Easily** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Where is Colonel Hogan?** by 80sarcades

**Beliefs and Apologies** by ColHogan

**Lightly Falls the Snow** by dust on the wind

* * *

and onto long general!


	12. long general story

Nominated works in long general:

* * *

**Merry Christmas Major Hochstetter from Stalag 13** by Katharos Lehrer

**Cradle Song** by dust on the wind

**Returning a Favor** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**48** by 80sarcades

**Requiem, for a Memory** by 80sarcades

**Right from the Start** by LJ Groundwater

**Mother Knows Best** by 80sarcades

**The Short Fuse** by dust on the wind

**Winning Friends and Influencing People** by viggosloof28

**Crazy about Chicken Soup** by whirlyite

**Friday the 13****th****, Hogan Style** by Snooky-9093

**Reflections** by Limmet

**FUBAR** by Snooky-9093

**Robin Hood's Christmas Party** by konarciq

**There'll Be Bluebirds over Blackheath** by SimoneSez

* * *

and onto stories based on a challenge!


	13. stories based on a challenge

Nominated works based on a challenge:

* * *

**The Things You See when You Haven't Got Your Gun** by 96Hubbles

**A Week in Baden Baden** by dust on the wind

**The Ring** by waikiki23

**Fitting the Crime** by Tirathon

**A Fifth of Beethoven** by LJ Groundwater

**Dear Mary Jane** by Catalyna

**Lucky Day** by blinkblink

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / When it Rains, it Pours** by Deana

**Deliver it to Papa Bear** by dust on the wind

**Ten Thousand Words without a Sound** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**The Man who Shot Anton Havel** by Sierra Sutherwinds

* * *

and onto stories based on an episode!


	14. stories based on an episode

Nominated works based on an episode:

* * *

**Surely Goodness and Mercy **by San Antonio Rose

**Sick Call **by Jennaya

**The Informer: Aftershock **by smithcrafter

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / A Banana a Day **by Deana

**Fool Me Twice **by whirlyite

**Schultz's Prayer **by smithcrafter

**Thousand Yard Stare **by whirlyite

**Swordplay** by dust on the wind

**Evolution** by 80sarcades

**The Short Fuse **by dust on the wind

**Crazy about Chicken Soup **by whirlyite

**It's a Jungle out there **by dust on the wind

**A Long Journey **by All–things

**Rendezvous** by dust on the wind

* * *

and onto the unique stories!


	15. unique stories

Nominated unique works:

* * *

**More Days in the Life of Stalag 13 / Jackpot** by Deana

**No One Escapes from Stalag 13** by Limmet

**The Price of Supply** by 80sarcades

**Censored!** by 80sarcades

**What Is This Man Doing Here?** by 80sarcades

**Carter, the Colonel and the Cockatoo** by jodm

**Night Terrors** by Sierra Sutherwinds

**The Good, the Bad and the Parodies / The Newkirk Dilemma** by ornitholestes

**White Rabbit, White Rabbit** by Conelrad

**Another Time, Another Place** by Monker

**The Unsung Hero** by Sgt. Moffitt

**Southern Skies, Southern Lies** by Jinzle

**Satin and Lace** by ColHogan

**A Sergeant's Guilt** by ColHogan

**A Tale of Two Carters** by Lizzi0307

* * *

and onto the poems!


	16. poems and songfics

Nominated poems and songfics:

* * *

**Oh, Little Town of Hammelburg** by 80sarcades

**Oh Major** by 80sarcades

**Be There for You** by Metoria

**Deck the Stalag** by 80sarcades

**Always Bet on Thirteen: A Stalag Tale** by 80sarcades

**A Hochstetter Christmas Eve** by 80sarcades

**The World Spins Madly On** by All–things

**A Mary Sue Alphabet: Hogan's Heroes Edition** by Limmet

* * *

and onto the crossovers!


	17. crossovers

Nominated crossovers:

* * *

**Genesis of a Phobia** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Paging Dr. Jones** by Marie1964

**Sometimes, You Just Never Know Who's Watching** by 80sarcades

**Pilot!** by Marie1964

**Welcome Aboard, Colonel Hogan** by jodm

**Hand to Mouth** by Bits and Pieces

**Jeep Jockey Jumper** by San Antonio Rose

**To Argentina, Without Love** by SimoneSez

**All the Time in the World** by Bits and Pieces

* * *

and onto the supernatural stories!


	18. supernatural stories

Nominated supernatural stories:

* * *

**Hochstetter's Stalag** by 80sarcades

**Trespass** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**In the Bleak Midwinter** by blinkblink

**Ne Me Quitte Pas** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Out of Sight + At the Bridge** by dust on the wind

**A Soldier of Fortune** by Crystal Rose of Pollux

**The Night Bird** by dust on the wind

**The Secret Organization of the Angels** by Marie1964

**Bindings** by misanthrope1

**The Haunting of Peter Newkirk** by Sierra Sutherwinds

**A Changing of the Future** by Marie1964

* * *

and onto the slash stories!


	19. slash

Nominated slash stories:

* * *

**War** by Toussaint

**What It Is** by DarknessIsTheUniverse

**Quiet Desperation** by Bits and Pieces

**Life is But a Dream** by Zevkia

**Merrily, Merrily** by Zevkia

**Morgengrauen** by DarknessIsTheUniverse

**Weaving Tangled Webs** by misanthrope1

* * *

and onto the one everyone has been waiting for:

which stories got so many nominations that they qualified to compete for the honour of

Best Overall Story!


	20. the most popular stories of 2010!

Eligible works in the category Best Overall Story

These are the stories that have received the most nominations in the categories

drama, comedy, general, challenge, episode, unique and poems

and therefore, they will compete for the ultimate honour of

**Best Overall Story

* * *

**

**Peter and the Wolf**  
by Crystal Rose of Pollux

* * *

**Swordplay**  
by dust on the wind

* * *

**The Man who Shot Anton Havel**  
by Sierra Sutherwinds

* * *

**Rendezvous**  
by dust on the wind

* * *

**Reflections**  
by Limmet

* * *

**The Big Ones Don't Bite**  
by dust on the wind

* * *

**A Banana a Day**  
by Deana

* * *

**The Short Fuse**  
by dust on the wind

* * *

So special congratulations to these five authors!

And now onto the canon characters!


	21. canon characters

Nominated canon characters:

Brace yourself for an awfully long list...

* * *

**LeBeau** in Ten Thousand Words without a Sound / Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Newkirk** in A Long Journey / All–things

**Kinch** in Another Time, Another Place / dust on the wind

**Newkirk** in When the Black Dog Comes Calling / dust on the wind

**Hogan** in Morgengrauen / DarknessIsTheUniverse

**Newkirk** in On the Rooftops of London / Monker

**Newkirk** in Crazy about Chicken Soup / whirlyite

**LeBeau** in Crazy About Chicken Soup / whirlyite

**Carter** in A Tale of Two Carters / Lizzi0307

**Schultz** in Schultz's Prayer / smithcrafter

**LeBeau** in In the Beginning: Vive le King / Simone Lyon

**Hochstetter** in Side Effects / Bits and Pieces

**Carter** in By Moonlight / dust on the wind

**Hochstetter** in The Unsung Hero / Sgt. Moffitt

**Burkhalter** in Reflections / Limmet

**Schultz** in Finding Home / psychopomp

**Newkirk** in Rendezvous / dust on the wind

**Newkirk** in Hand to Mouth / Bits and Pieces

**Hochstetter** in All Hail the Fuehrer / Jennaya

**Carter** in A Dark Night, Long Ago / Silent Number

**Klink** in Another Time, Another Place / Monker

**Hogan** in Final Goodbye / Pandoras–Closet

**Newkirk** in The Right Place at the Right Time / Deana

**Hogan** in Friday the 13th, Hogan Style / Snooky-9093

**Hochstetter** in Hochstetter's Stalag / 80sarcades

**Newkirk** in Out of Sight + At the Bridge / dust on the wind

**Hogan** in A Changing of the Future / Marie1964

**Hogan** in Bindings / misanthrope1

* * *

.

Let's just hope it doesn't end in a 25 way tie...

Then onto the canon extra's!


	22. canon extras

Nominated canon extra characters:

**

* * *

Langenscheidt** in Lightly Falls the Snow / dust on the wind

**Danzig** in Robin Hood's Christmas Party / konarciq

**Olsen** in The Good, the Bad and the Parodies / ornitholestes

**Mavis Newkirk **in God Save the King / whirlyite

**Schnitzer** in A Death in the Family / Snooky-9093

**Crittendon** in Reflections / Limmet

**Dubois** in Side Effects / Bits and Pieces

**Langenscheidt** in Southern Skies, Southern Lies / Jinzle

**Olsen** in Olsen's Secret Life / Jennaya

**Marya** in To the Stalag We Go / waikiki23

**Felix** in Men and Mice / Monker

**Tiger **in Satin and Lace / ColHogan

**Marya** in Reflections / Limmet

**Nimrod** in The Unsung Hero / Sgt. Moffitt

**Olsen** in A Sergeant's Guilt / ColHogan

* * *

And onto the original characters!


	23. original characters

Nominated original characters:

**

* * *

Sgt. Dietrich** in A Sergeant's Guilt / ColHogan

**Stephanie Chambers** in On the Rooftops of London / Monker

**Boswell & Garrett** in FUBAR / Snooky-9093

**Toby the cockatoo** in Carter, the Colonel and the Cockatoo / jodm

**Major Hoffman** in Cruel and Unusual Punishment / Bits and Pieces

**Dr. Siegfried** in The Right Place at the Right Time / Deana

**Sgt. Jones** in The Price of Supply / 80sarcades

**Raoul** in Deliver it to Papa Bear / dust on the wind

**Gerda Hochstetter** in Mother Knows Best / 80sarcades

**Elise Hochstetter** in Rendezvous / dust on the wind

**Bluebird** in There'll Be Bluebirds over Blackheath / SimoneSez

**Marie** in Flowers for the Kommandant / dust on the wind

**Vulsor** in Ten Thousand Words without a Sound / Crystal Rose of Pollux

**Cpl. Sommerled** in Come Home a Hero or Come Not Home at All / Sierra Sutherwinds

**Emil** in Impossible Dream / estrella2–15

**Jackson** in A Dark Night, Long Ago / Silent Number

**Anton Havel** in The Man who Shot Anton Havel / Sierra Sutherwinds

**Mrs. Hogan** in Censored! / 80sarcades

**Mills** in A Dark Night, Long Ago / Silent Number

**General Schmidt** in Prisoners of Honor / 80sarcades

* * *

And onto the teasers!


	24. teasers

Nominated teasers:

.

* * *

**Hogan secretly shares something with Klink... ****  
but glitches lead to a curious trip to the Kommandant's office.  
**A Fifth of Beethoven / LJ Groundwater

* * *

**Even Colonel Klink has his limits, ****  
and this time Hogan has pushed him too far.  
**Fitting the Crime / Tirathon

* * *

**Hogan helps a German Jew get out of Germany who has explosive information that must get to London.****  
Complicating matters is the arrival of a sinister Gestapo Major  
while at the same time Hogan has a crisis of faith.  
**From the Depth of my Soul / ColHogan

* * *

**The bad news: Major Hochstetter knows all about Colonel Hogan's operation. ****  
The good news: he can't tell anybody.  
**Hochstetter´s Stalag / 80sarcades

* * *

**As one unlucky prisoner finds out – no one ever escapes from Stalag 13.****  
**No One Escapes from Stalag 13 / Limmet

* * *

**After the Colonel receives an injury, ****  
will Olsen's outside contacts be enough to save Hogan's life, when London refuses to help?  
**Olsen's Secret Life / Jennaya

* * *

**When that last symptom refuses to go away, ****  
it seems like everyone has a home remedy to offer. Guaranteed to work.  
Except when it doesn't...  
**Remedies / dust on the wind

* * *

**ATTENTION! ****  
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Col. Robert Hogan and Marie Louise Monet aka 'Tiger'.  
Time: 1930 hours. Day: July 13th, 1943. Place: Stalag 13.  
In lieu of gifts, the bride and groom request you join the Allies to help end the war.  
**Satin and Lace / ColHogan

* * *

**If you have to challenge the Kommandant to a duel, ****  
it's a real good idea to know how to use a sabre...  
**Swordplay / dust on the wind

* * *

**Everyone goes to Hogan for advice, even Klink. ****  
So who does Hogan go to?  
**Talk Talk / LJ Groundwater

* * *

**Three times before, LeBeau was visited by the night bird. ****  
Each time someone close to him died.  
And now it's back...  
**The Night Bird / dust on the wind

* * *

**All Carter had to do was build a fake bomb and get it into the middle of the compound. ****  
What could possibly go wrong?  
**The Short Fuse / dust on the wind

* * *

**With the end of the war, danger and fear are left far behind. ****  
Or are they?  
**The Things We Fear / wordybirds

* * *

**In hindsight, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau would agree ****  
that a detour through a cemetery on Halloween night had been a bad idea.  
And that was before the grave-robbers and vengeful ghost lights were taken into consideration.  
**Trespass / Crystal Rose of Pollux

* * *

**Sometimes the worst enemy is the one you live with.****  
**When the Black Dog Comes Calling / dust on the wind

* * *

.

And then onto the quotes!


	25. quotes and a game!

Nominated quotes:

.

For purposes of sheer conveniency, I'm only giving you the quote itself here. Check out the PBA website later this week if you want to know the details where they all come from!

Or shall we turn it into a game?  
The one who manages to guess the origin (who says what and in which stories) of as many of these quotes as possible by next Saturday (the 5th of March), will receive an honorary Papa Bear Award for being the most knowledgeable person on the 2011 Hogan's Heroes fanfiction!

(Note: the people helping me who have seen the lists (Bits and Pieces, Snooky-9093 and ColHogan) are of course excluded from the game!)

* * *

**"You're watching me sleeping and I'm the creepy one?"**

**

* * *

"You're amazing, Newkirk. Try to get some sleep…****  
and knock off the ten-word replies, will you?"**

**

* * *

"You know what your problem is? You talk too much.****  
I bet if you kept your mouth shut, you'd have a lot more friends."**

**

* * *

"You know, Louis… I know I complain about the food and all,****  
but, for what it's worth… I'm glad you came back to stay.  
Not that I want you to be stuck here, of course, but… Well, you know what I mean."**

**

* * *

"You ever tried getting on an airplane with a Nazi in your suitcase?****  
It takes forever to get through Customs, and the duty taxes are unbelievable."**

* * *

**"****Would **_**you**_** like you if the situation were reversed?"  
"Probably not."**

**

* * *

"When I think of all the things we could have been doing...! I was going to make tripe in white wine tonight."  
"So you're saying we could have been worse off, then."  
"You're a barbarian, Newkirk, from a barbaric country filled with gastronomic ****Philistines****."**

**

* * *

"What is this bird doing here? What am I doing here?"**

**

* * *

"Tell me, Hogan. Who was the prisoner... and who was the jailer?"****  
"You were, sir, the entire time."**

**

* * *

"The climate in this part of the world isn't very healthy. I think a change of scenery would be good for me."****  
"Why is it, you people always want out of Germany?  
It's your own fault. You're the ones that put the freak in charge of the circus."**

**

* * *

Only in the Army is it ever really done:****  
Give Carter explosives and say 'Have fun!'**

**

* * *

Not for the first time, Major Hochstetter wished he had a pair of man-sized gardening shears****  
to get rid of the dead weeds in the Third Reich.  
Starting with Klink.**

**

* * *

"Mr. Spock, you're a genius!"  
"I do possess a rather high IQ."  
"Too bad that doesn't include modesty."**

* * *

**"Mon Colonel, I think we have rats in the tunnel again."  
"Oh, charming. Thank you for the compliment."**

**

* * *

LeBeau, broom now in hand, glared around and sang out in a false sing-song as he stalked,****  
"Où êtes-vous, mes petites? Montrez-vous, montrez-vous, où que vous soyez…"**

**

* * *

Keeping as far as possible from the spider, he quavered, "It's looking at me."  
"Probably thinks you're its dinner."  
"Oh, **_**merci**_**. That makes me feel a lot better."**

**

* * *

It was always slightly disturbing, seeing the change that came over Carter at this point in any operation.****  
His customary awkwardness dropped away, replaced by a kind of instinctive dominance.  
Carter in this incarnation was about as intimidating as it got,  
and neither Hogan nor Newkirk ever admitted how much it sometimes spooked them.**

**

* * *

"I think you just saved my life."  
"And Hochstetter's. Well, nobody's perfect."**

**

* * *

"Impossible; no one ever escapes from Stalag 13—not even a rat!"**

**

* * *

"If I die, I will come back and haunt you both."**

**

* * *

"I can imagine I will have to be a prize idiot again."****  
"But you do it so well..."**

* * *

**"****Hey Kommandant, what is this man doing here?"****  
"Hogan, you're under arrest! That is **_**my**_** line!"**

**

* * *

"Hard work never killed anyone."****  
"That's easy for you to say. You won't be digging... sir."**

* * *

**"****Did you actually tie the Yanks?"  
"What's wrong with that?"  
"It's a disgrace, Andrew. That's what's wrong with it."**

**

* * *

Colonel Hogan has an honorable mind,****  
otherwise he'd be in ****organized crime****.**

**

* * *

"Ah, you see, there you go. This is all your fault. You and your… your… Britishisms.  
That's what got us into this mess in the first place. Pontoon. Harrumph."  
"Yeah, well, you got us going on the Monopoly bandwagon!"  
Newkirk picked up the offending card from the floor. "Oh, St. James; your fault!"**

**

* * *

"****But if you could just see yourself, Felix… you're filthy.****  
No one would even know you're such a pretty white mouse.  
With all that cinnamon on you, you look like any old Tom, Dick, or Harry of mice."**

* * *

**"****Blimey, what do you suppose h****appened to that patrol, sir?"  
"Maybe they came to their senses and deserted."**

**

* * *

As everyone went about their business, he hung back by the stove,****  
sipping his coffee and watching over his mates.  
His best good mates. His brothers.**

* * *

.

And that's it, folks!

Our congratulations to all the authors who saw some of their work nominated!

And if you missed out on having your work nominated this year,  
don't despair.  
The competition was very, very fierce,  
so you just keep writing, and who knows...  
maybe you're in next year?

Also our thanks to the many people who nominated their favourites!  
I think we easily hit a record for the past four years!

.

* * *

And now on to the voting round!

(see next page!)


	26. And now it is time to vote!

Now that the list of nominations is published, each person can cast 1 vote in each category,  
signed with his/her real name and – if you have one – your ffnet ID.

Votes are accepted by email: papabearawards at yahoo dot com.

Alternatively, members of the yahoogroup "hogansheroes" will also be able to vote in the polls in their group. Please observe that – if you vote in the yahoo-polls – you cannot vote by email as well, and vice versa. It´s either one or the other.  
The honour system applies!

The voting is open to everyone who enjoys Hogan's Heroes fanfiction.

In the index of the PBA site (follow the link in our profile),  
you can find links to the different categories (later this week).

There is a link to every nominated story on the respective category´s site.  
Only the quotes and the teasers are published directly on the site,  
and no further reading into their stories is necessary.

As with the nominations, you are not required to cast a vote in every category.

Before voting for the best entry in a certain category,  
please try and make every effort to acquaint yourself with _all_ the nominated work in that category,  
so that you are able to make a sound decision!

And if you don't have the time to do all the categories  
(especially with the enormous amount of nominated works this year)  
it's better to constrict yourself to a few categories and make a well-considered vote there  
than to cast a quick vote in every category – that wouldn't be fair to the authors, would it?

In this round, authors are allowed to vote for their own work,  
if they indeed consider their own work to be the best in that specific category.  
But be honest about it!

Winners will be announced after the votes are tabulated.  
A Gold, Silver and Bronze award will be awarded for each category – if applicable.

Final day for voting is  
**April 9th, 2010**

So read, enjoy and **vote!**


	27. update!

Update!

As several people pointed out, I made a mistake in the crediting of one of the nominated canon characters.

The portrayal of LeBeau in Ten Thousand Words without a Sound is of course from the hand of **Crystal Rose of Pollux**!

I have fixed it on the particular page - and hope it is the only mistake :-) Apparently I was getting a little too confident by now that I would know every author/story combination by heart...

* * *

Meanwhile, the first votes are already in. Now don´t make this a contest of who´s the fastest: you´ve got until April 9th! That is nearly six weeks, so take your time to acquaint yourself with the nominated work you hadn´t read yet!

* * *

Anyway: forgot to mention this, but of course in the voting round you are allowed to vote twice (or even three times, if applicable!) for the same story. If your absolute favourite is nominated in two story categories, as well as in the best overall story, then go ahead and vote for it in all three categories if you want to!


	28. Easy polls now available!

Update!

There are now easy **polls** available in the yahoogroup "**hogansheroes**".

Membership of the group is obligatory to vote there,

but for those who are hesitant to give out their real name on the internet, it might be a good idea to vote there:

you only vote with your email address!

* * *

.

If you need the address to the group,

just send an email to **papabearawards at yahoo dot com**!

.

* * *

But please keep in mind that you are only allowed **1 vote **in each category.

So if you vote by email, don´t vote in the polls as well.

And vice versa.

It´s either one or the other!

.

* * *

.

And my apologies for not using capitals in the polls´ choices.

I have a nerve in my right hand playing up, numbing my little finger and wrist (and a little more).

And repeatedly using the righthand capital key puts a lot of extra stress on it! :(

.

Oh well... as long as people understand the given choices...


	29. The PBA site is back online!

Update!

Ladies and gentlemen, the PBA site is back online

with all the information you need to decide about your votes and how to go about voting.

Just follow the "homepage" link in our profile!

.

* * *

.

Also, we´re doing a little evaluating on Tirathon´s HH forum here on ffnet:

hm... putting in an ffnet link doesn´t work... okay.  
so you click on "discussion forums" at the top righthand of the HHpage  
and choose "Forum XIIIc"  
and then the topic "Papa Bear Awards".  
word of the wise: start reading halfway page 4  
otherwise you´ll just get confused from the older discussions.

.

Your input and experiences (both as author and as nominator) would be greatly appreciated!

.

* * *

.

And maybe the most calming update of all:

by almost general request, the requirement to read everything nominated in a category before deciding on your vote  
has been loosened up a little.

The request is now to **"make every effort to acquaint yourself with all the nominated work in a category -**

**or at least get a feeling for all the stories in that category before deciding on your vote."**

.

Hope this helps!


	30. Finally: the story continues!

"Uh-oh..." Carter already backed away from his lookout post at the door.

"What?" Newkirk asked.

"There's major Hochstetter..."

"About time," LeBeau muttered. "He's had those stories for weeks now."

"I bet he's been reading them all. We haven't seen him for all those weeks either," Kinch commented as Hogan got up to leave.

"I'd better go straighten this out." Hogan zipped up his jacket. "And you guys, get ready to evacuate. We might have to move quickly." And with that, he quickly left the barracks for the Kommandant's office.

* * *

"Kommandant, can I... Oh, hi major! Haven't seen you around for a while. Everything okay?"

"Everything is not okay," major Hochstetter snarled at him. "What do you have to say about this?"

Hogan took the paper Hochstetter thrusted at him. "'What is this man doing here?´" he read. And chuckled. "What – are you investigating a case of plagiarism? That is your line after all."

"Or this."

"'Oh Major...´ Ha! Has someone written a poem about you? I sure hope it was a love poem?"

"It was not a love poem," Hochstetter growled. "And look at this. And this. And this. And this one! And this!" He thrusted more and more papers at Hogan, who had to juggle quite a bit to catch them all. "I am being ridiculed, Hogan, and I promise you: heads will roll for this! Me being pictured as Scrooge, as being devoured by a monster, being turned into a ghost, lying in a drunk stupor outside the church, having trouble with a wife, having my mouth washed out with soap... And worst of all..." He couldn't quite repress a shudder. "Being pictured as an Allied agent..."

Klink's jaw dropped. "You, major Hochstetter? An Allied agent?" He cackled a nervous laugh. "Who would believe it?"

"You certainly have the perfect cover for it," Hogan agreed with a clear hint of admiration. "Playing the heartless Gestapo monster we know, you could have fooled us easily."

Hochstetter positively seethed. "I am a loyal German citizen, dedicated to uphold the ideals of the glorious Third Reich! I am not – I repeat: not! – an Allied agent!"

Hogan shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"But that is not all." Hochstetter stroked the tender spot of his ulcer. Soon it would not be bothering him anymore. "As I have always suspected and even known, these documents contain positive and irrefutable proof that you, Colonel Hogan, are indeed the menacing sabotage leader called Papa Bear. Now what do you have to say to that, huh?"

"Impossible!" Klink blustered out before Hogan could even open his mouth. "He is a prisoner! In the toughest POW camp in Germany no less! There has never been an escape from Stalag 13 – so how could Colonel Hogan commit sabotage on bridges and tunnels and military depots and railroads, and all those other things you're always ranting about? Impossible. Ridiculous!"

"He's right, you know," Hogan chimed in. "Kommandant Klink has us completely cowed. We can only dream of attempting such heroics. But since we can't even get out of camp..."

"Paah! Your smooth tongue will not save you now, Hogan. These stories give a detailed account of all the crimes you and your men have been committed this past year. Written documentation. If I can't get eye-witnesses, then written documentation will do just as nicely to finally get my hands on you!"

* * *

.

And don´t forget: last day for sending in your votes is April 9th - that is Saturday next!


	31. Our grannies and greataunts did it

"Major." Hogan calmly shook his head. "You're not being logical about this."

"The Gestapo is not known for being logical, Hogan."

"I agree. But since you deny everything that's written about you in these documents, why should you believe anything that's written in there about me?"

Hochstetter snorted. "Because I want to. That's reason enough."

Hogan sighed. "Major Hochstetter, shall I tell you what this really is?"

"No." A glare.

"Yes. Please do!" Klink ventured.

"These are stories written by the prisoners' grannies and greataunts. And a few of their mothers and sisters. They are well aware that our spirits are thoroughly broken, and that we'll never be able to get out of here. So to help us keep up our morale, they write stories about us in which we perform all kind of heroics to thwart our enemy. Just to let us escape into fiction when real life is so dull and dreary. And hopeless."

"Exactly." Klink's head bobbed up and down in eager agreement. "Totally hopeless. No one has ever escaped from Stalag 13."

Hochstetter just looked very unconvinced.

"Every once in a while they send us those stories," Hogan continued. "We read them, and decide which ones we think are the best. That's what we call the Papa Bear Awards – after one of our dearest fancies…" He looked down and added in a dejected tone, "That if I only had the guts, I could have been the notorious underground leader Papa Bear."

Hochstetter fidgeted. "But you are Papa Bear!"

"No, I'm not." A sigh. "I wish I were."

"No, he's not," Klink threw in for good measure. "For goodness sake, major, he's a prisoner! In the toughest POW camp in Germany! He couldn't possibly be Papa Bear!"

Hochstetter scowled. "I still think these stories are a threat to the Third Reich. The prisoners might get ideas from them."

Another nervous cackle from Klink. "Major Hochstetter, really! A network of tunnels under the camp? Prisoners getting out of camp every night, and then back in again of their own free will? A radio to contact London whenever they want to? Prisoners impersonating German officers? Major, the next thing you'll be telling me is that Colonel Hogan is occasionally picked up by an Allied airplane at night, flown to London for a top meeting, and brought back in time for roll call! Now do you expect me to believe that?"

"Besides," Hogan added. "The Kommandant has us so cowed that we only get ideas that he would approve of. Never, ever would it enter our minds to dig tunnels under the camp. The mere idea is… well, shocking!"

Hochstetter snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it." He turned to Klink. "Klink, I will surround this camp with a ring of steel. Nobody gets to go in to this camp, and nobody gets to go out – not until I have gotten to the bottom of this."

"Good." Hogan hoisted the crate full of stories under his arm. "That'll give us the peace and quiet we need to read all this in only a week's time. The votes have to be in by Saturday, you see." He prepared to leave, but Hochstetter's screeching voice called him to a halt.

"Klink! Are you letting him get away with this?"

"Of course not, major. Of course not. Colonel Hogan, aren't you forgetting something?"

Hogan looked puzzled. "What am I forgetting?"

A quick smile. "To leave a handful of stories with me. I, too, like the Papa Bear Awards, remember?"

Major Hochstetter practically spat fire, but Hogan gamely handed the Kommandant a pile of papers. "Here you go, Kommandant. Enjoy your reading. Oh, and major Hochstetter?"

"What!"

"Tell Hitler to put the war on hold for a week, will you? We've got more important things on our mind now."

"Exactly. First things first, my mother always said," Klink mumbled as he leafed through his pile of stories. Suddenly he chuckled. "This looks like a good one, Hogan. If it's really good, I'll let you have it after me."

"Thank you, Kommandant. And auf Wiedersehen, major."

And all that was left for Hochstetter to do was to spat an angry, "Paah!" before he stomped out of the office to start preparing his ring of steel.

* * *

.

And don´t forget: last day for sending in your votes is April 9th - that is this Saturday!


	32. Take a message: we're busy!

"_You_ get it," Kinch mumbled, not taking his eyes from the paper.

"No, _you_ get it," was Baker´s muffled reply, since he rested his chin in his hand.

"No, you. I outrank you, remember?"

"Only by time in rank. Besides, you read faster. You´ll catch up quicker." Baker pulled the story they were both engrossed in out of Kinch´s hand and continued reading by the unstable light of the oil lamp.

And Kinch sighed. The buzz alerting them to the incoming message grew more insistent by the second. Better answer it.

He put on the headset and took the mike. First this week's security recognition code, and then...

_"Papa Bear, this is Goldilocks. What took you so long?"_

"We're busy," Kinch replied evenly.

_"Well, get Papa Bear for me, will you?"_

"I'll try." Kinch nudged Baker. "Go get the Colonel."

"You go."

Kinch stretched his back. "Rank has its privileges, remember? _You_ go get the Colonel."

If looks could kill...

Baker pushed the story back in Kinch's hands, and quickly jumped up the ladder. "Colonel!"

"Ssh!" came it from several sides. Everybody was reading like crazy.

"Where's the Colonel?" Baker whispered to Lebeau.

Lebeau wiped away a stray tear. "Mort..." came the barely audible reply.

Baker raised his eyebrows, and turned to Newkirk. "Newkirk?"

"Sod off. I'm having a good time for a change: I'm playing a werewolf!" He bared his fangs and growled.

Carter snickered. "I love stories with animals. I've had one with an ostrich, and one with a cockatoo. And this one's about a giant spider. Would you like to have it next?"

"Maybe later. Kinch and I are in the middle of a hairraising mission with some weird greenish guy with pointy ears. Now where's the Colonel?

Carter pointed with his thumb. "In his office, I believe. Hey!" He raised his voice. "Anyone want to read this? It's nice and short. And funny! I'll trade it for another comedy."

"I will!" Hammond quickly took the paper from him and tossed him the story he had been reading.

"Hey, I've already read that one! That's not fair!" Baker heard Carter protest as he made his way over to the office.

A knock, a "Come", and in he went. "Colonel, London is on the radio."

Hogan waved him away. "Take a message."

"But they specifically asked for _you_."

"Then they'll have to wait. I'm in the middle of getting married."

Baker looked rather dumbfounded, and Hogan heaved a sigh. "Tell them to call back on Sunday. Or at least _after_ tomorrow. Once we get our votes in, we'll go back to fighting the Nazis."

* * *

So quiet and desolated it was inside the camp, so noisy and busy was it outside the perimeter. Dozens of workers were putting up a solid iron fence of four meters high and ten centimeters thick. Under the supervision of the Gestapo, the men welded the heavy, unbreakable iron plates together to form a veritable 'ring of steel' around the now quiet Luftstalag.

Hochstetter paced back and forth between the workers, regularly getting terribly in the way, but nobody had the guts to ask him to step aside.

"Schnell! Schnell! This ring of steel must be in place before nightfall! And if there is any sign of sabotage activity in the area tonight, I will shoot you all together with the saboteurs!"

So the workers hurried, and hurried, until...

"Major Hochstetter?" their foreman ventured.

"What!"

"I'm afraid we have a little problem."

"What!" Hochstetter yelled again.

The man blinked. "Look," he pointed.

Hochstetter marched over, took in the situation before him, and shrieked at the top of his lungs, "What is this treestump doing here?"

"Um... it's in the way, sir."

Hochstetter kicked the offending stump. Hard. "I can _see_ it's in the way. You imbecile! Now get some axes and shovels, and get it out! _Now_!"

* * *

.

Final call for the PBA: **tomorrow** (Saturday) is the **final day** to cast your votes! So make up your mind, and vote!

Please note that the polls in the yahoogroup "hogansheroes" will be closed sometime during the day, so if you want to vote there, you'll have to be quick.

Voting by email and ffnet PM is possible until Saturday midnight (23.59.59), Pacific time.

And your vote could just make the difference, so make sure you get them in!


	33. Hochstetter finds himself in a spot

With a heavenly sigh, LeBeau sank down on one of the stools by the table. "C'est magnifique!" he whispered in adoration, and held one of the stories close to his chest.

Carter looked up. "What have you got there?"

A swooning glance in his direction. "The most beautiful poem in the world..."

"Oh." Carter turned back to his own scrap of paper with a frown.

"Aren't you going to ask me to read it to you?" LeBeau huffed.

"What? Oh. Gee, maybe later, LeBeau. It's only ten minutes till the PBA deadline, and I still haven't made up my mind. I've only read through three categories – boy, there are so many good ones! I just can't choose! I've got enough trouble picking my favourites here; I don't need yet another category to worry about."

"Then promise me you'll just vote for it, oui?" LeBeau pleaded.

"Oh blimey," Newkirk grunted from the top bunk. "Why would the guy want to vote for your poem if he hasn't even read the bloody thing?"

LeBeau looked a little hurt. "Because my girl-friend wrote it of course."

"Which one?"

"Christine."

"So why would Andrew here want to vote for _your_ girl-friend's poem?"

"Because she's beautiful. And because she has never won anything in her life. I would like her to win at least _something_ this year."

"Then she'll simply have to write a very good story. Or poem," Newkirk pointed out.

"But it is!" LeBeau exclaimed. He jumped up and started pacing to emphasize his words. "Her choice of words is exquisite! And rhyme and rhythm... perfect harmony! Your own Shakespeare couldn't do better himself!"

Carter frowned in confusion. "If it's that good, why would she need my ignorant vote to help her poem win? Don't you trust the guys who've read _all_ the poems to see how good it is?"

"Exactly." Newkirk chuckled. "You're cheating, Louis! Naughty, naughty!"

LeBeau gave them both a glare and stomped away - his dear little poem pressed to his heart. "I'll get back at you two – I promise! Tonight I'm going to make a special French delicacy: escargots in octopus sauce!"

"Yuck!" Newkirk screwed up his face in disgust.

But Carter heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally. I've got it. These three are really, really the best." He glanced at his watch. "Oops... Kinch! Hey Kinch! Wait for me! I mean: wait for my votes!"

* * *

Outside the perimeter, a fuming Hochstetter was overseeing the progress of the removal of that treestump. With axes, shovels and a small handsaw, the workers were attacking the offending stump. But with so many people working on it (Hochstetter's orders), nobody had enough room to do a proper job, and so progress was slow.

After an hour of virtually fruitless work, the foreman once again approached the Gestapo major. "Major Hochstetter, with your permission..."

"What!"

"Um... would it not be better to adjust the position of the iron plates, and set them up in an angle to go _around_ that treestump? If you want to have your ring of steel in place by nightfall, we really can't afford to spend much more time on that treestump."

Major Hochstetter scowled. "Alright, go around that stupid stump then."

Relieved, the workers dropped their tools and got back to welding the iron plates together. They worked as fast as they could – it was less than an hour till sunset, and on a gloomy day like this, dusk would set in soon. And nobody felt like getting shot together with some infamous saboteurs tonight.

And they managed indeed. Just as the last glimpse of sunlight disappeared behind the trees, the workers put the final plate in place and welded it to its neighbours, thus closing Hochstetter's ring of steel around the camp.

Hochstetter rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. "Good. Excellent. That will be the end of Hogan's escapades." He turned to the fence, where he sensed that his archenemy was watching him. "Well, Hogan, what do you say now about my ring of steel?"

Hogan cocked his head and folded his arms across his chest. "Very efficient."

"Exactly. _Nobody_ will get out of this camp – _ever_ again!"

Hogan nodded cheerfully. "Including you, major. Welcome to Stalag 13. For you, the war is over."

* * *

By the time major Hochstetter was finally too much out of breath to further continue his rant, the entire camp population had gathered at the fence to make fun of him.

"Well, what do you suggest?" Hogan taunted. "We don't want you here any more than you want to be here, so we'd be happy to help you escape, if you like."

"Uh-oh! Nobody escapes from Stalag 13!" Klink chided him.

"Not even major Hochstetter?" Newkirk inquired archly.

"Not even... Well, he's not a prisoner."

"He is in my book," Hogan refuted. "He's locked up in a place where he doesn't want to be. Doesn't that equal being a prisoner?"

Hochstetter fumed again. "Hogan, you will pay for this!"

Hogan was the very picture of innocence. "Why, what did I do?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm sure it's all your fault!"

Hogan shrugged. "You're the one who painted yourself into a corner – not me."

Hochstetter gave him one of his glares. "Well, I may go easy on you if you help me get out of here."

"Despite the no escape record?"

"Despite the no escape record."

"Alright." Hogan looked around. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"I do," Carter spoke up. "Why don't we chop down a tree, and then we have like twenty prisoners hold it, and then we ram that wall? Ram right through it?"

"Out of the question!" Hochstetter shrieked. "My ring of steel will _not_ come down!"

"Okay, so you'll have to go over it. How about we tie a long rope around your waist, and throw the other end over a sturdy branch near the wall. We pull you up, and you lower yourself on the other side."

"We'd need a good strong pulley for that, Colonel," Kinch pointed out. "He's too heavy to pull up with our bare hands."

"There are some old pulleys in the storage hut," Schultz volunteered.

"Good. Schultz, go get one. And a long rope – some ten meters in length at least."

"I will tell Schultz what to do, if you don't mind," Klink interrupted. "Schultz, go get one of those pulleys. And a long rope – some ten meters in length at least."

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant."

When Schultz returned, they had already picked out a strong beech, with its lowest side branch as thick as Kinch's muscular thigh. It stretched out over Hochstetter's infamous ring of steel.

As usual, Hogan took charge. "First we have to get that rope over the branch."

"I can do that." Carter took the rope out of Schultz's hands. "Back when I was a kid, I was a real pro at throwing the lasso. Once I even caught the..."

"Save your stories for later, Carter. Just get that rope up there."

"Yes sir."

The first try missed. The second didn't even reach as high as the branch. The third...

"Too bad you're not a kid anymore," Newkirk sneered.

But at that moment the rope went over the right branch, leaving Carter beaming.

Under Hochstetter's watchful eye, Hogan brought the pulley in place, and finally, major Hochstetter tied one end of the long rope around his waist.

"Okay guys. Ready, major? And pull! Pull! Pull!"

Half a dozen prisoners pulled up the hated Gestapo man until he dangled high above the ground, just out of reach of his ring of steel.

A sudden gust of wind made the flying major swing on his rope – no one had noticed that the wind had picked up.

"Colonel Hogan!" Hochstetter shrieked. "I do not like this swinging! Stop it at once!"

But before anyone could do anything, another gust of wind took hold of the poor major. Only this time, he swung out so far that the pulley entangled itself in the nearby branches...

The guys pulled as hard as they could. The branches creaked ominously, but the pulley didn't move an inch.

"It's no use, Colonel," Kinch reported. "It's stuck. We'll have to climb up the tree to get it operational again."

"Really?" Hogan smirked. "Well, no one can expect us to climb up a tree in the dark, can they? Far too dangerous – someone might get hurt! I'm afraid we're going to have to let the major dangling there for the night."

"What!" Hochstetter was beside himself – his irate movements causing him to swing back and forth even more. "Hogan, if you do not get me down this instant, I will personally take you to Berlin for intensive questioning. Very intensive questioning! Now get me down!"

Hogan shrugged. "Sorry. Too high. But if you have a pocket knife, perhaps you can cut yourself down?"

Hochstetter's eyes bulged. "And fall what... five, six meters?"

Another shrug. "Your choice. Meanwhile, while you're up there, could you perhaps serve as a lookout? We're expecting a special air-drop tonight: a specially printed edition of the Stalag 13 Gazette. If you're a good boy and stop your whining, we'll read it to you for a bedtime story, okay?"

"Paah!"

"Enjoy your flight, major!"


	34. The Gazette arrives!

It was dark. The wind was really picking up now, howling around the barracks, and making the barbed wire sing. And way up high in the beech tree, poor major Hochstetter was swinging back and forth, back and forth, on his rope.

He'd given up ranting. Nobody was listening anyway, and what good is a performance if you have no audience?

Until he heard a roar over the howling of the wind. From his high position, he saw the door of barracks 2 – Hogan's barracks of course – being opened wide, and several men skirting out in the middle of the compound. And as the roar subsided (a plane?), the adventure began all over again: with a large package on a parachute.

Quickly, Hogan's men freed the bulk from the parachute, and pulled out the papers. He could hear their cries of, "Yessss! That was my favourite, too!" and, "Hey, why didn't my favourite win?"

Klink came out of the Kommandantur and swaggered over to the enthusiastic group, ready to chide them about being outside after roll call. Until he saw what they were so excited about. The foolish Kommandant confiscated one of the papers, and eagerly leafed through it, with that bumblehead Schultz looking over his shoulder.

And then one man separated himself from the group, making his way to the now useless gate (who needed a gate when the camp was surrounded by a ring of steel?). Apparently, that had gone up for the guards, too, for they let the hated American pass without question.

And of course, Hogan came straight towards his tree.

"Hogan, get me down!" Hochstetter ordered.

"Sorry, can't do." Hogan smirked. " Too dangerous. In the dark, and with that storm? No way!" He had to speak up real loud to make himself heard over the storm. "But I'm here to help you pass the time till daylight. We've got in the paper with the results of the Papa Bear awards. You want to hear which stories won?"

Hochstetter gave him a sour look. "No."

"Pity. I'm going to tell you anyway." And Hogan folded out his paper and boomed:

* * *

**The Stalag 13 Gazette**

**Special Edition!**

* * *

Chosen as the best story of 2010:

**RENDEZVOUS**  
by dust on the wind

the runners-up:

**Reflections**  
by Limmet

**The Short Fuse**  
by dust on the wind

and 3rd place:

**The Man who Shot Anton Havel**  
by Sierra Sutherwinds

Our special congratulations to these winners!

* * *

(Look inside for all the worthy winners in the other categories!)


	35. The best drama stories

The winners of the drama sections!

* * *

Short drama:

Gold:

**DREAMS OF REALITY**  
by 80sarcades

**WHEN THE BLACK DOG COMES CALLING**  
by dust on the wind

Silver:

**A Hero Falls by the Way**  
by Bits and Pieces

**Deliver it to Papa Bear**  
by dust on the wind

**The Night the Colonel Died**  
by ColHogan

Bronze:

**Surely Goodness and Mercy**  
by San Antonio Rose

**Thousand Yard Stare**  
by whirlyite

* * *

Medium Drama

Gold:

**THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME**  
by Deana

Silver:

**Flowers for the Kommandant**  
by dust on the wind

Bronze:

**By Moonlight**  
by dust on the wind

**God Save the King**  
by whirlyite

* * *

Long Drama

Gold:

**A DARK NIGHT, LONG AGO**  
by Silent Number

**ON THE ROOFTOPS OF LONDON**  
by Monker

Silver:

**A Sergeant's Guilt**  
by ColHogan

Bronze:

**Rendezvous**  
by dust on the wind

* * *

Turn the page to find out the winners of the comedy sections!


	36. The best comedy stories

The winners in the comedy sections!

* * *

Short Comedy:

Gold:

**THE BIG ONES DON'T BITE**  
by dust on the wind

Silver:

**The Waiting Room**  
by dust on the wind

Bronze:

**A Banana a Day**  
by Deana

* * *

Long comedy:

Gold:

**PETER AND THE WOLF**  
by Crystal Rose of Pollux

Silver:

**Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect 200 Dollars**  
by Snooky-9093

Bronze:

**Satin and Lace**  
by ColHogan

**Swordplay**  
by dust on the wind

**The Quivering Colonel**  
by ornitholestes

* * *

Turn the page for the results in the General Category!


	37. The best general stories

The winners in the general section!

* * *

Short general story:

Gold:

**MEN AND MICE**  
by Monker

Silver:

**Lightly Falls the Snow**  
by dust on the wind

Bronze:

**The Waiting Game**  
by Chopstick Legend

* * *

Long general story:

Gold:

**FUBAR**  
by Snooky-9093

**REFLECTIONS**  
by Limmet

Silver:

**There'll Be Bluebirds over Blackheath**  
by SimoneSez

Bronze:

**48**  
by 80sarcades

* * *

Turn the page to find out about challenge, episode, unique and poem stories!


	38. Challenge, episode, unique and poems

The winner in the categories challenge, episode, unique and poems!

* * *

Best story based on a challenge:

Gold:

**THE MAN WHO SHOT ANTON HAVEL**  
by Sierra Sutherwinds

Silver:

**A Week in Baden Baden**  
by dust on the wind

Bronze:

**A Fifth of Beethoven**  
by LJ Groundwater

**The Ring**  
by waikiki23

**The Things You See When You Haven't Got Your Gun**  
by 96Hubbles

* * *

The best stories based on an episode:

Gold:

**THE SHORT FUSE**  
by dust on the wind

Silver:

**It's a Jungle out there**  
by dust on the wind

**Swordplay**  
by dust on the wind

Bronze:

**A Long Journey**  
by All-things

**Rendezvous**  
by dust on the wind

**Schultz's Prayer**  
by smithcrafter

**Sick Call**  
by Jennaya

* * *

The most unique stories

Gold:

**THE UNSUNG HERO**  
by Sgt. Moffitt

Silver:

**Another Time, Another Place**  
by Monker

**The Newkirk Dilemma**  
by ornitholestes

Bronze:

**White Rabbit, White Rabbit**  
by Conelrad

* * *

The best poems and songfics

Gold:

**THE WORLD SPINS MADLY ON**  
by All-things

Silver:

**A Mary Sue Alphabet: Hogan's Heroes Edition**  
by Limmet

Bronze:

**Deck the Stalag**  
by 80sarcades

* * *

And now on to crossovers, supernatural and slash stories!


	39. Crossover, supernatural and slash

The winners in crossovers, supernatural and slash stories!

* * *

The best crossover stories:

Gold:

**ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD**  
by Bits and Pieces

Silver:

**Hand to Mouth**  
by Bits and Pieces

Bronze:

**To Argentina, without Love**  
by SimoneSez

* * *

The best supernatural stories

Gold:

**THE NIGHT BIRD**  
by dust on the wind

Silver:

**Hochstetter's Stalag**  
by 80sarcades

**The Haunting of Peter Newkirk**  
by Sierra Sutherwinds

Bronze:

**Bindings**  
by misanthrope1

* * *

The best slash stories:

Gold:

**WEAVING TANGLED WEBS**  
by misanthrope1

Silver:

**Quiet Desperation**  
by Bits and Pieces

Bronze:

**Life Is but a Dream**  
by Zevkia

**What It Is**  
by DarknessIsTheUniverse

* * *

Turn the page to find out all about the best portrayals of characters!


	40. The best character portrayals

The best portrayal of characters!

* * *

First the canon characters!

Gold:

**CARTER  
in A Dark Night, Long Ago**  
by Silent Number

**NEWKIRK  
in Rendezvous**  
by dust on the wind

Silver:

**Carter in By Moonlight**  
by dust on the wind

**Hochstetter in The Unsung Hero**  
by Sgt. Moffitt

**Newkirk in On the Rooftops of London**  
by Monker

**Schultz in Schultz's Prayer**  
by smithcrafter

Bronze:

**Newkirk in The Right Place at the Right Time**  
by Deana

* * *

Then the canon extra's.

Gold:

**OSKAR DANZIG  
in Robin Hood´s Christmas Party**  
by konarciq

Silver:

**Langenscheidt in Southern Skies, Southern Lies**  
by Jinzle

**Olsen in Olsen's Secret Life**  
by Jennaya

**Tiger in Satin and Lace**  
by ColHogan

Bronze:

**Dubois in Side Effects**  
by Bits and Pieces

**Felix in Men and Mice**  
by Monker

**Langenscheidt in Lightly Falls the Snow**  
by dust on the wind

**Mavis Newkirk in God Save the King**  
by whirlyite

**Oskar Schnitzer in A Death in the Family**  
by Snooky-9093

* * *

And then the newly introduced characters that we would have liked to see on the show:

Gold:

**BOSWELL & GARRETT  
in FUBAR**  
by Snooky-9093

**STEPHANIE CHAMBERS  
in On the Rooftops of London**  
by Monker

Silver:

**Mrs. Hogan in Censored!**  
by 80sarcades

Bronze:

**Gerda Hochstetter in Mother Knows Best**  
by 80sarcades

**Jackson in A Dark Night, Long Ago**  
by Silent Number

**Marie in Flowers for the Kommandant**  
by dust on the wind

**Sgt. Dietrich in A Sergeant's Guilt**  
by ColHogan

* * *

And then we only have the teasers and quotes left.

Turn the page to find out who won there!


	41. The best teasers and quotes

The most tickling teasers and the most appreciated quotes!

* * *

The best teasers:

Gold:

**ATTENTION!  
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Col. Robert Hogan and Marie Louise Monet aka 'Tiger'.  
Time: 1930 hours. Day: July 13th, 1943. Place: Stalag 13.  
In lieu of gifts, the bride and groom request you join the Allies to help end the war.  
**Satin and Lace / ColHogan

Silver:

**Sometimes the worst enemy is the one you live with.  
**When the Black Dog Comes Calling / dust on the wind

**The bad news: Major Hochstetter knows all about Colonel Hogan's operation.  
The good news: he can't tell anybody.  
**Hochstetter´s Stalag / 80sarcades

Bronze:

**All Carter had to do was build a fake bomb and get it into the middle of the compound.  
What could possibly go wrong?  
**The Short Fuse / dust on the wind

* * *

And then the best quotes:

Gold:

**"You ever tried getting on an airplane with a Nazi in your suitcase?  
It takes forever to get through Customs, and the duty taxes are unbelievable."  
**Story: To Argentina, without Love by SimoneSez

Silver:

"**Blimey, what do you suppose 'appened to that patrol, sir?"  
"Maybe they came to their senses and deserted."  
**Story: Hand to Mouth by Bits and Pieces

Bronze:

**It was always slightly disturbing, seeing the change that came over Carter at this point in any operation.  
His customary awkwardness dropped away, replaced by a kind of instinctive dominance.  
Carter in this incarnation was about as intimidating as it got,  
and neither Hogan nor Newkirk ever admitted how much it sometimes spooked them.  
**Story: By Moonlight by dust on the wind

.

* * *

Congratulations to all of you! It´s been a really tough competition this year, so the winners may be truly proud of their work being chosen as the best!  
For the same reason, the authors who got their work nominated but didn´t win anything have no reason to be ashamed. Competition was simply extremely tough this year,  
and even having your work been nominated from among 206 stories is a feat in itself!

**To the winners**: in order to have your award sent out, could you **please report by email to papabearawards at yahoo dot com**,  
alternatively directly to Kirarakim, who will be creating them this year.  
(I´ve seen a sample – believe me, they´re a work of art!)

My most special thanks to **Bits and Pieces** for all the work she, too, has put in,  
as well as to Snooky, Kirarakim, ColHogan, 96Hubbles, LJ Groundwater  
and everyone participating in the PBA discussion at Tirathon´s forum here on ffnet – in which you´re all welcome to join to try and further improve our PBA!

And now we´re off to reading the steady stream of new adventures for our Heroes. Poor guys – who ever said life in a POW camp was dull?  
And a tip: make sure you mark any memorable quotes suitable for next year´s PBA competition!

That´s all, folks!  
Thank you all for your enthusiasm – it was a pleasure as always!  
(though I must admit to missing the continuous chat with my unfortunate co-librarian-on-medical-sabbatical-leave about how the results are developing…)

.

PS And of course there will be one more chapter in The Mission Briefing story.  
Can´t leave Hochstetter dangling up in that tree forever, can we? :-)


	42. Floored

"When the storm subsides," Hogan had said. But here he was – major Hochstetter – swinging from a rope some six meters above the ground, and the storm seemed to have little inclination to subside soon.

As a matter of fact, he was getting seasick. Can one get seasick so far from the sea?

If only he would be a little taller – if only he could reach his infamous ring of steel with his feet! Then he'd just untie the rope around his waist and slide-jump down. And he'd be free, and that nefarious Hogan would safely stay locked up.

But no matter how he tried to aid the storm to swing him back and forth, the ring of steel he had erected earlier today remained just out of his reach...

And that's when the idea struck him. Only some twenty, thirty centimeters he needed, ja? So if he'd hold himself with one hand higher up on the rope, he could untie the rope around his middle with the other, and then let himself down on the rope till his feet reached the ring of steel!

It was as desperate a plan as any other. And as good a one – in fact, it was his first that did not involve that hateful Hogan to 'help' him down. So he reached out and grabbed the rope that hung down slack from the pulley. With a twist of his wrist he threw it around his arm for extra grip, and once he felt secure he could hold himself, he began to pull at the rope around his waist.

Untying a coarse rope with one hand isn't easy. Especially not if you had put half a dozen knots on top of each other to make sure it would hold on your trip across the ring of steel by way of a high branch. And even more especially not if you've been impatient to get out of your predicament for many hours.

But in the end, Hochstetter succeeded, and immediately felt himself gliding down.

A startled, "Aah!" escaped his lips, but his reflexes were good – he managed to grab the rope with his free hand as well, and stop the sliding down.

Hanging down from two ends of the same rope, Hochstetter first needed to assess his situation. He was still high above the ground – too high to simply let go of the ropes. No. He needed to get onto the top of his ring of steel, and from there...

The stormy wind that had originally caused his exile up in the tree now came to his rescue. Swinging and twirling in the wind as a dead leaf, Hochstetter was blown back and forth and – after a few last minute chickening-outs, he dared to make the jump.

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't have.

The hurried erection of his infamous ring of steel, combined with the storm beating on it all night... and now the sudden added force of major Hochstetter himself landing on its top... It was too much. With a frightful clang, his ring of steel collapsed in a simultaneous gust of wind. And with it all being welded together, the plates fell one after another after another after another... until the entire ring of steel lay flat on the ground, crushing leaves and branches under its weight.

The noise of its falling down even beat the sounds of the howling wind, and immediately, the only two guards of Stalag 13 left on duty rushed out of the open gate.

"The ring of steel – it has come down!" Langenscheidt observed nervously. "What is major Hochstetter going to say?"

Schultz sighed. "I don't know." He thought for a moment. "Probably that Colonel Hogan is responsible for it."

Langenscheidt followed the dented iron plates, while Schultz took a breather on a treestump. But not for long.

"Sergeant! Sergeant Schultz!"

Schultz moaned. "What is it?"

"Look at major Hochstetter!"

Schultz cringed. But he did get up to do his duty and see what Langenscheidt was talking about. What was that awful major up to this time?

He didn't have to go far – he found Langenscheidt hovering over a moaning, unconscious body lying on top of the flattened ring of steel.

Langenscheidt gave Schultz a nervous glance. "What is this man doing here?"

Schultz looked up the tree, and saw the pulley and the ropes still swinging there in the wind.

And he turned his back on the scene, and began to walk back to camp's perimeter. "I know nothing – nothing!"

.

**The End**

And now the time for the next PBA is approaching!

But at least we got Hochstetter out of that tree - finally...**  
**


End file.
